An animal's energy needs are based
on its body weight and body surface area because that more accurately
accounts for heat loss. Energy requirements per pound of body weight is
greater for small-size animals than large-breed dogs. Digestible energy is
the percent of a food's total energy available after digestion and
absorption. An animal does not use all of digestible energy; what it uses is
metabolizable energy. Animals regulate their food intake by eating to
satisfy metabolizable energy requirements. An adult dog's energy
requirements can be calculated by finding its normal body weight and using
the table below. The daily needs are for a dog living in a temperate climate
and with moderate physical activity. The recommendations here may provide
more calories than some pets need to maintain normal weight.An animal's age influences its caloric needs. Adult
dogs below 2 years of age need 10 to 20 percent more calories than dogs
between 3 and 7 years of age. Dogs older than 7 years need about 20 percent
less energy than dogs between 3 and 7 years of age. Less food should be fed
as an animal ages. Caloric requirements also show some breed differences.
Based on requirements per pound of body weight the Newfoundland has lower
energy requirements than 6 other breeds of different sizes from Dachshunds
to Great Danes. Their requirements are about 17 percent less. Active dogs
require more energy. Some very active dogs cannot maintain their normal
weight until additional energy is given by feeding a high fat diet.

Determination of an Adult Dog's Caloric Needs

:

The daily caloric requirements for an individual animal depends on
conditions such as maintenance, growth, pregnancy, or lactation. Other
determining factors include the animal's activity and temperament,
environmental temperature and the diet's digestibility.Calculations of the caloric needs are based on
an adult animal's body weight as follows:

Body weight0.75X 132 = Kilocalories needed

or

Body weight0.75X 125 = Kilocalories needed

Daily Caloric
Requirements for Adult Dogs

lb.

kCal

lb.

kCal

lb.

kCal

lb.

kCal

lb.

kCal

lb.

kCal

1

70

31

908

61

1508

91

2035

121

2520

151

2976

2

115

32

929

62

1526

92

2052

122

2536

152

2990

3

157

33

951

63

1545

93

2069

123

2551

153

3005

4

195

34

973

64

1563

94

2085

124

2567

154

3020

5

231

35

994

65

1581

95

2102

125

2582

155

3034

6

265

36

1015

66

1599

96

2119

126

2598

156

3049

7

297

37

1036

67

1618

97

2135

127

2613

157

3064

8

329

38

1057

68

1636

98

2151

128

2629

158

3078

9

359

39

1078

69

1654

99

2168

129

2644

159

3093

10

389

40

1099

70

1672

100

2184

130

2660

160

3108

11

417

41

1119

71

1690

101

2201

131

2675

161

3122

12

445

42

1140

72

1707

102

2217

132

2690

162

3137

13

473

43

1160

73

1725

103

2233

133

2705

163

3151

14

500

44

1180

74

1743

104

2249

134

2721

164

3166

15

526

45

1200

75

1760

105

2266

135

2736

165

3180

16

553

46

1220

76

1778

106

2283

136

2751

166

3195

17

578

47

1240

77

1796

107

2298

137

2766

167

3209

18

604

48

1260

78

1813

108

2314

138

2781

168

3223

19

629

49

1279

79

1831

109

2330

139

2796

169

3238

20

653

50

1299

80

1848

110

2346

140

2811

170

3252

21

677

51

1318

81

1865

111

2362

141

2826

171

3267

22

702

52

1338

82

1882

112

2378

142

2842

172

3281

23

725

53

1357

83

1899

113

2394

143

2857

173

3295

24

749

54

1376

84

1916

114

2410

144

2872

174

3309

25

772

55

1395

85

1934

115

2426

145

2887

175

3324

26

795

56

1414

86

1951

116

2442

146

2902

176

3338

27

818

57

1433

87

1968

117

2457

147

2916

177

3352

28

841

58

1452

88

1985

118

2473

148

2931

178

3366

29

863

59

1471

89

2002

119

2489

149

2946

179

3381

30

886

60

1489

90

2019

120

2504

150

2961

180

3395

For each pound greater than 180
pounds add 4 kilocalories per pound of additional weight.The values in this table are for
dogs living in a temperate climate and with a moderate amount of physical
activity.
Calculations were made with formula: kcalories/day = 125 X body weight0.75